The Benefits of Nutmeg

by Tracey Roizman, D.C.

Nutmeg may help prevent some forms of cancer.

Nutmeg, the walnut-sized seed of an Indonesian evergreen tree, has a distinctive, aromatic and slightly sweet flavor that is used as a culinary spice for meats and vegetables and is also added to fruit dishes and baked goods. Historically, Egyptians used nutmeg for embalming and Italians employed it as a cure for plague. Indian herbal medicine uses nutmeg seed oil as an intestinal remedy, while other herbal traditions use nutmeg as an aphrodisiac and pain reliever.

Digestive Health

Herbalists often recommend nutmeg as a remedy for digestive disorders such as nausea, vomiting, indigestion and diarrhea, according to naturopath Linda Page, author of the book "Cooking for Healthy Healing: The Healing Diets, Book One." Nutmeg may also help manage symptoms of Crohn's disease. A study published in the December 2002 issue of the journal "Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology" found that nutmeg extract helped resolve diarrhea in laboratory animals and also provided sedative and blood pressure-lowering benefits.

Brain and Central Nervous System

Central nervous system benefits of nutmeg were noted as far back as the 19th century, according to Victor R. Preedy, coeditor of the book "Nuts and Seeds in Health and Disease Prevention." A study published in the January 2009 issue of the "Journal of Neuroimmunology" found that a nutmeg relative, known as black wild nutmeg, offers benefits for the brain and nervous system. In the tissue-culture study of brain cells, nutmeg extract showed robust anti-inflammatory and protective effects. Nutmeg also promoted growth of brain tissue following a period of low oxygen and glucose. Researchers concluded that black wild nutmeg has potential for use as a natural treatment in stroke rehabilitation.

Cancer Prevention

Essential oil of nutmeg may help prevent or treat cancer by acting as an antioxidant and inhibiting formation of blood vessels that feed tumors, according to a study published in the April 2012 issue of the "Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine." In the test tube and cell culture study, nutmeg inhibited oxidation of the essential fatty acid linoleic acid and significantly reduced new blood vessel growth. A study published in the April 2012 issue of the "Journal of Food Science" found that myristicin, a component of nutmeg essential oil, inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells.

Antianxiety and Antidepressant

Nutmeg offers mild sedative, antianxiety and pain-relieving benefits by virtue of its constituent compounds myristicin and elemicin, according to "100 Best Health Foods." A laboratory animal study published in the Spring 2006 issue of the "Journal of Medicinal Food" found that nutmeg exerted significant antidepressant effects. In the study, doses of 10 milligrams per kilogram of body weight of nutmeg extract increased mobility. Researchers concluded that nutmeg's antidepressant benefits may arise from its activation of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.

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About the Author

Tracey Roizman has been a writer and speaker on natural and preventive health care since 1995. She holds a B.S. in nutritional biochemistry and a doctor of chiropractic degree, and is a postgraduate diplomate in chiropractic functional neurology.

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